FREDERICTON MARATHON

N.B. May 13, 2018

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Fredericton Marathon, New Brunswick’s oldest 42.2k weekend. It all started back in 1978 with a small group of runners who thought it’d be a good idea to run up and down the city’s majestic Nashwaak River. Four decades later, the event has blossomed into one of the best race weekends in the country, in a pretty university town.

The start and finish are conveniently located right in the heart of the city, near both universities. The marathon and half courses still follow the Nashwaak River, which remains the pulse at the heart of Fredericton. Marathon runners head out into the charming surrounding neighbourhoods along with the halfers, but will do two loops of the predominantly riverside course.

Fredericton’s biggest draw is that it’s lightning fast. In 2017, it had the highest Boston qualifier rate in the country. More than one-third of its marathon runners ran a BQ. If you’re looking for a fun, running-focused race weekend to score that illusive ticket to Beantown, Fredericton is probably your best bet.— CR